presence

Have you ever put yourself in autopilot because it was much easier than always thinking constantly? Are you one of those who gets stuck in their own mind just to escape reality? Presence of mind is when you are in the moment when you are doing the day to day activities, even the mundane ones. For those new to this, it can be difficult because your body and mind will be shocked. Nevertheless, it keeps you aware of your surroundings. This happened to me when I was meditating one morning commuting to work by train. I let my mind hear, feel and sense everything around me and it was scary. At one point, I felt my heart beating quickly and it was frightening. After that day, I didn’t do it again, but the thought came back to me and I wanted to share this thought. Maybe, I will try it again another time.

Many of us, including myself live life in our own minds and let things happen in life without our input. While this mindset may make it easier to let go of hard experiences, it doesn’t allow us to truly feel the moment. Whether it be joy, sorrow or anger, being in autopilot dilutes the experience. Lately, the practice of being the in the moment allowed me to express how I feel freely and honestly.

Do you agree? Do you feel that you are not in the moment and live life in autopilot?